Updated July 2026.
Bulleit Bourbon — the high-rye Kentucky straight — is 45% ABV / 90 proof on US bottles. A 1.5-ounce pour is 1.13 NIAAA standard drinks. The published mash bill is 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley. Diageo owns the brand. Current production is at Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville, Kentucky, with additional Diageo Kentucky capacity in Lebanon. Older contract eras (Four Roses, others) are history, not the 2026 back label.
Some export bottles print 40%. Read the neck. Bulleit Rye is a different TTB class (commonly 95% rye / 5% malted barley, 90 proof) and has long been associated with Indiana contract liquid — confirm that bottle. We will not reprint a 2022 price list. Related: rye vs bourbon, Old Fashioned.
Bourbon vs rye vs bonded
| SKU | Typical US proof | 1.5 oz drinks | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulleit Bourbon | 90 / 45% | 1.13 | 68/28/4 mash; US 45% |
| Bulleit Rye | 90 / 45% | 1.13 | Rye whiskey, not bourbon |
| Bottled-in-Bond bourbon (when released) | 100 / 50% | 1.25 | 27 CFR 5.88; limited |
| Export bourbon | Sometimes 40% | 1.00 if 40% | — read the label |
A 750 mL US bourbon is about 19 standard drinks. Four 1.5-ounce pours are 4.5 drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. High rye is not “more drinks.” Identity: Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- US Bulleit Bourbon 45% / 90 proof; mash 68/28/4 in long-standing brand/trade specs.
- Diageo / Bulleit Distilling Co., Shelbyville, KY (plus Lebanon capacity).
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143. NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). Export 40% No MSRP.